The Well of Souls
by Little Author 13
Summary: In the Sequel to The Apprentice of the Sea, Jack, Luxora, and Francois take their adventure to Morocco. There, they encounter Sheiks, sabers, and the excitement that follows them everywhere.
1. Barrel Rolling

**I Do Not Own Any Pirates of the Caribbean Movies**

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><p>"Pardon me, excuse me," Jack said as he rolled his barrel out into the bazaar.<p>

While balancing on the side of the barrel he walked backwards, making the barrel move forwards. He was trying to go as fast as he could on the barrel. Jack demolished stalls that lined the clay streets. People screamed and jumped out of the barrel's path. Chickens clucked and jumped out of his way. The chaos in the crowded bazaar just got worse.

Luxora came out next, also balancing on a barrel. She was dressed in dark trousers and a loose cotton shirt. Her brown hair was put up on the top of her head with a shawl covering it. She followed Jack's lead. Last, but not least, François came.

As he came over a bump in the threshold of the bar he lost his balance momentarily. He rushed after Luxora and Jack on his barrel, trying to keep his balance. Jack cleared the way for them. Already Jack had a throng of people running ahead of Jack in the small streets, attempting to escape his path.

"This is why you don't cheat in a game of poker," François yelled ahead of him in his heavy French accent.

Jack replied, "Don't lecture me about it. I cheat in poker all the time."

François looked behind him, and saw they were being chased by the angry men Jack swindled. They waved their sabers at François and barked at him in Arabic. Even though it was François that they were yelling at, Jack had their money. Jack saw ahead of him another group of men coming towards him. He saw a side street and turned. Luxora followed.

François panicked. He couldn't turn his barrel. Instead, he advanced on the men.

"_Sortez de la route! Aidez!_" He screamed.

The three tanned men in front of him had second thoughts on taking out François. They started running in the other direction. François grabbed on a low overhanging rope and slipped off of the barrel. The barrel crashed into the men and recoiled, knocking over the pursuers behind him. François made his way towards a wall, clutching the rope tightly.

Then he grabbed onto the building's side, not wanting to look down. He inched towards a window and jumped in, startling a girl. She screamed at him and whacked him with a pillow as he ran through her room and out another window.

"_Désolé!_" François uttered.

Jack and Luxora had stopped rolling around in the streets. The barrels had crashed and were leaking wine. The two of them were gone. François eventually got down near the barrels, looking around him to find where the pair had gone. Suddenly he was pulled by the collar of his shirt into a small tunnel under a wall. It followed the wall and ran off towards a collection of water.

Wine dripped down into the small tunnel. Jack tried to catch a drop in his mouth. Luxora ignored him while François stared.

Jack glanced at François and said, "What? Didn't your mother tell you not to stare? It's quite rude. Did you take notes, Luxora?"

"It's not like you're going to be testing me on it."

Jack stared at her for a moment before starting up, "You cheat at a game. Three men are holding you at gun point and you don't have a gun. What do you do?"

Luxora hushed Jack as the five men Jack swindled came down the alley and inspected the broken wine barrels. They talked amongst themselves in Arabic before running off. Jack strutted out of their hiding spot, stretching his arms. Luxora and François crawled out, soaked in wine. Jack smiled to himself, weighing his money in his hands.

His companions gave him unfriendly looks. Jack looked back at them.

"What?"


	2. Broke

**I Do Not Own Any Pirates of the Caribbean Movies**

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><p>Jack wiped the sweat that came down his face. He scowled at the cloth that soaked up his sweat. François was also perspiring heavily. In Morocco, you couldn't easily escape the heat. At the inn they found, the two of them sat on the sill of their open window.<p>

Luxora stared at the ceiling from the bed she sat on. She let some water spill from a cup into her mouth, not caring that it drenched her face.

"This heat!" Jack whined. "Couldn't you have smuggled us somewhere like the Caribbean or a place with a lot of wind?"

Luxora responded, "This is better than being in jail."

Jack stood up and ripped his shirt further open. His chest was extremely sweaty. The heat intensified smells—including body odor. It goes without saying that Jack didn't bathe too much. François pinched his nose.

"Button up your shirt! You stink."

"He stinks all the time," Luxora put in.

Jack straightened up proudly.

"I'll have you know that this stink is what makes me a pirate."

François said with his nose plugged, "The fact that you steal from people doesn't make you a pirate?"

"That too," Jack replied. "When was the last time you bathed, Luxora?"

Luxora sat up on the bed. Pieces of her hair were plastered against her face. She ran a hand through her unkempt hair.

"None of us has had a chance to bathe, Jack."

"Exactly my point. We pirates don't have the time to bathe. We're too busy pillaging people and swimming in gold."

François added while dabbing at his face, "And drinking rum."

Jack ignored François's comment and continued his speech. He started moving towards the door.

"You might as well get used to it. When you become a real pirate like me yer crew is going to be just as smelly as the next person. Now will you excuse me. I think I'll go ask the innkeeper if he has rum."

François coughed. Luxora glanced at him. He pointed with his eyes at Jack. She turned her head to say something.

"Jack, I—"

Jack shut the door on her. His footsteps receded down the stairs. François hung his head in defeat.

"When are you going to tell him?"

"I don't know. Should we add that we want to get married?"

"He's not going to like to hear you don't want to be a pirate."

Luxora sighed, exasperated. Just then she heard a ruckus outside in the street. She joined François at the window and below them watched the spectacle. A parade filled the streets. Acrobats ran through the streets with men throwing sweets to the Moroccans and pieces of paper.

The men in the parade screamed to the people in Arabic. Elephants with colorful caps and beads were part of the parade. After they turned a street to spread whatever they were doing to another part of the city children were on their knees picking up leftover sweets lying in the street.

Luxora asked, "What was that about?"

"It was a celebration of some sort."

She left the window and opened up their door to their room.

As she walked out into the narrow hallway she said, "We should find Jack. He might need help getting back here."


	3. The Arabian Party

**I Do Not Own Any Pirates of the Caribbean Movies**

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><p>Jack had wandered into the tavern down the street. He was having a jolly time in the tavern. Luxora and François were shy of jolly. Jack downed a shot of rum. He called the bartender over and spoke loudly to him.<p>

"Need more," Jack pointed to his bottle. "One bottle. Savvy?"

The man bowed to Jack and ran off to fulfill his order. Jack tipped the bottle of rum and poured himself another shot. Luxora yanked the shot glass away from his face, spilling the rum. He looked disapprovingly at Luxora. Jack was slightly tipsy.

"Eh… Stop that mate."

"_You_ stop it. Don't be squandering our money away."

Jack smiled when his new bottle of rum came.

"I believe I'm captain of this crew."

"_Non, non, non! Je n'ai pas toute l'ordre des épices. __Je suis à court de rhum pour mes clients," _the bartender exclaimed at a boy outside of the tavern.

The boy shrugged with a cart of goods beside him. He had pale skin and blonde hair.

"_Que suis-je censé à propos il faire? Je suis juste le livreur. Si l'ordre se mêlait jusqu'à le prendre à la compagnie maritime."_

François perked up, hearing his native language. He gazed at the two having their discussion. The bartender took some goods and shooed away the boy. He huffed and dragged the bags into his shop. He sighed and leaned against the table.

"_Pardonnez-moi monsieur, mais je ne savais pas que vous parlait français."_

"_Tout commerçant décent serait connaître le français. C'est la langue utilisée lorsque nous avons des échanges avec des étrangers. Je savais que l'homme ne m'a pas entendu le droit quand j'ai fait ma commande. __Ne faites jamais confiance aux Anglais!" _the man cried, obviously saddened by his situation.

Jack drawled out, "I can speak better French than a Frenchie! Just you watch me. It'll blow you to bits."

"We all know you can't speak French," Luxora bluntly said.

"Well, then. If you're going to talk, talk in a language we _all _can understand."

Jack's arms spread out dramatically. The rum in his shot glass sloshed and ran down his hand and into his sleeve. François finished talking to the bartender. When he came back he had an optimistic expression on his face.

"I've got good news."

"Free drinks on the house?"

"No. That parade through the city was announcing a party. Apparently there's a rich man throwing a party."

Jack smiled and shouted, "I love parties!"

"That's irrelevant to us," Luxora said.

François explained, "I think it might be good if we attend. We might get some gifts if we go there. Right now, we don't have any money thanks to Jack. If the man was rich enough to buy sweets and throw them in the streets he might give away other things."

"I love parties!" Jack repeated.

~OOO~

Moroccans dressed in their best garb entered the palace like house. Although the invitation was announced to everyone, only the upper class came. Paupers were not allowed. Their clothes did not compare to the Sheik—the man who was hosting the party. He sat in the lit courtyard of his palace in a white robe stitched with gold. A white turban with beads sewed in glittered in the light on his head.

On either side of the Sheik were his wives. His children were running around somewhere. In front of the table where the Sheik sat were five belly dancers in colorful costumes. They danced to the live music off to the left of the Sheik. Jack, Luxora and François didn't stand out terribly.

They weren't acknowledged by anyone around them. No one cared who came—as long as they attended themselves. Jack grabbed some grapes off of a tray passing by. He stuffed them in his mouth and licked his fingers.

"This wasn't such a bad idea. The food is quite tasty—better than the food they serve at the tavern and inn."

Luxora and François split up, hiding as much food as they could in their pockets and shirts. Foods like dates and dried figs were their main target since they didn't spoil easily. Jack strolled through the crowd of guests. He stole someone's wine goblet as they were about to take a sip from it. While walking, he took a huge gulp of wine.

As he was drinking, he was pushed. The wine spilled down his shirt. Jack cried in surprise and turned around toward whoever bumped him. A man with a white and grey beard held a tray of dates in his hands. He was dressed in a robe and matching pants.

"Pardon me…" The man got a good look at Jack. "Jack?"


	4. Temporary Lodging

**I Do Not Own Any Pirates of the Caribbean Movies**

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><p>Jack looked from a nearby guest back to the servant.<p>

"Do I know you?"

"It's Gibbs!" Mr. Gibbs cried. "Don't you remember me?"

Jack brightened and said, "Oh, of course! How are you Mr. Gibbs?"

Gibbs pointed down at his clothing.

"What do you think? I'm a servant!"

"The Pearl," Jack breathed, before grabbing Mr. Gibbs by the collar of his shirt. "What happened to her? Is she alright?"

Mr. Gibbs took a moment answer.

Jack brought him closer, and growled, "Where is she?"

"We were sailing the Atlantic towards France when out of the blue a ship attacked us. I swear to ye, Jack we did our best. The Pearl, the crew and I were taken by that rich man over there. Yer crew is constructing an addition to the palace and I'm a servant here at the party."

"That doesn't answer my question. Where is the Pearl?"

"The Sheik has her in his possession. He's using her as his personal ship."

Jack's mouth twitched. He let go of Mr. Gibbs and marched toward where the Sheik sat. The Sheik looked up at Jack.

"Your Kingliness," Jack forced a smile while bowing to the Sheik. "I have come a long way. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Captain Jack Sparrow."

Luxora and François stopped what they were doing and stared at Jack.

"What is he doing?" François asked.

"I heard of you," The Sheik replied with his heavy Arabian accent. "I am Hamza Darzit."

"A little birdie told me you have acquired my ship. As captain of that ship, I would like it back."

Darzit stroked his dark beard. Jack watched him. Several people caught sight of Jack and listened in on their conversation.

Darzit bluntly answered, "No."

Jack was taken aback. He forced another smile to hide his upset face.

"But the ship belongs to me."

"It belong to me now. May I offer you stay here as guest?"

Jack forced a smile on his face again.

"It would be a pleasure," He oozed. "I have two accomplices."

Darzit spread out his arms welcomingly. He stood up to Jack and walked over to him.

"They are welcome too." Darzit shook Jack's hand vigorously, causing Jack's whole body to shudder. "It nice to finally meet you. Tell me about your adventures."

Jack was whisked away by Darzit to tell his adventures to the man. Luxora and François decided to not worry about Jack and continued hoarding food. Only after the party was over and Jack came over did they find out they didn't need to hoard anymore. Flustered, they let the dates and figs they had in their shirts and pockets fall to the ground.

Darzit ordered his servants to clean up Jack, Luxora, and François. That night all three of them fell into their soft beds, dirt free. The room that Darzit gave them was decorated gaudily. Colorful cloths were draped all against the walls. The threshold leading to the balcony was in the shape of a teardrop.

Thin sheer curtains were draped above the threshold. Mosquito nets protected the beds from the vile critters that invaded the home at night. More than enough pillows were on the beds. Each person had a large round bed. Luxora sighed contentedly.

"I've forgotten what a real bed feels like," François said aloud.

A small snore emitted from the bed between François and Luxora's. Jack curled up with his mouth hanging open. Luxora was planning on confessing to Jack that night. She couldn't, now that he was asleep. Luxora admired the pattern on the ceiling.

"Where are we going to get married?" She asked.

"A church?"

"I don't think so. I don't like the idea of a church."

François replied, "It doesn't appeal to me either. What about on a ship?"

"No. It should be somewhere that's special. Perhaps a beach?"

He turned on his side, yawning.

"That sounds very nice. Goodnight, Luxora. _Je t'aime_."

Luxora returned, "_Je t'aime_."


	5. Palace Life

**I Do Not Own Any Pirates of the Caribbean Movies**

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><p>As soon as Jack, Luxora, and François had woken up, Hamza Darzit sent them breakfast in bed. Then soon after, he swept Jack away to have him tell his tales as Captain of the <em>Pearl<em>. Mr. Gibbs came in to take away the trays of leftover food.

"Good morning Mr. Gibbs," Luxora greeted.

"Not a fine morning for me." Mr. Gibbs replied, noticing François. "I don't believe I've met you, lad."

"This is François, my fiancée."

François and Mr. Gibbs shook hands. Mr. Gibbs studied François, and then suddenly raised his eyebrows.

"Aren't ye the Roux du Marseille's boy?"

Francois explained, "Not anymore."

"I'm sorry to hear that. I be Joshamee Gibbs." Mr. Gibbs brightened. "Congratulations. When are you getting married?"

Luxora admitted, "We're still figuring that out."

There was a loud bang outside of the room. Mr. Gibbs cowered where he stood, watching the door.

In broken English, a lady screamed, "Beardface! Where you_?_"

The lady thereafter started screaming in Arabic, and by the look of Mr. Gibbs, she wasn't saying anything nice. Mr. Gibbs took the last tray from François quickly and started for the door.

"One of the sea witches is calling me," He muttered.

He left briskly with a brief goodbye. Once Luxora and François began wandering around they were quickly swept up by the servants and their daily work. Throughout the day the sun beat down on the clay buildings, beating mercilessly on François and Luxora. Luxora was given the task of taking care of the many children of Hamza Darzit while François tended to the new installment of the home. Once the sun went down and the blazing heat began to turn the opposite François and Luxora fell in their beds, aching.

"How was your day?" Luxora barely uttered through her muscle pain.

"I have blisters on my hands, and back from working in the sun."

She reached over and weakly patted his head.

"I'm sorry to hear that. Do you—"

"Good evening my companions," Jack announced while sauntering in.

He stopped to view François's red face, and Luxora reaching over toward him. Jack immediately jumped between them and began cackling at François.

"Look at you, mate. I think you put too much rouge on."

François frowned at Jack.

Luxora explained, "He was working all day in the sun."

Jack replied once his laughter subsided, "Oh. I'm glad I wasn't out there. Of course, I'm a pirate, and we don't get burned easily. Take note Luxora, that you're going to have to toughen up to the sun. On a ship the sun can be quite merciless."

"We didn't see you all day Jack," François said. "Where were you?"

Jack huffed and plopped himself beside François, pushing him to the other side of the feather bed away from Luxora.

"Well, I was entertaining Darzit with some lovely stories of me and the _Pearl_. Let me tell you, he is a wonderful listener."

"You narcissist," Luxora sighed.

Jack spread his arms and legs out and finally kicked François off of the bed. François landed with a yelp on the floor, and later came a pained groan. He stood up and glared at Jack. Jack glanced over at him and smiled.

"I hope you feel better in the morning Frenchie."

Jack slapped François on the shoulder, receiving a long moan.

After a moment François tightly informed, "That was my sunburned shoulder."

"Oh. Good night then."

None them expected that the same pattern they experienced that day would last for several more to come.


	6. I'm Coming For You

**I Do Not Own Any Pirates of the Caribbean Movies**

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><p>Darzit cackled loudly at the dinner table. "Tell me another story!"<p>

Everyone was gathered at the dining table. Jack sat beside Darzit.

He cleared his throat nervously. "Ah, let's see… Oh look at the time. The thing is mate, we've got somewhere to be. You've got a splendid home and we thank you for your hospitality."

Abruptly, Jack stood up and motioned for François and Luxora to quickly rise.

"Wait," Darzit stopped them. "What is the rush? Must you leave now?"

"Yes. We've got a tight schedule and we're already behind by several days from staying here. Cheerio!"

As the three of them filed toward the exit Darzit stood up, looking very displeased.

"Jack Sparrow," he stated. "Surely you wouldn't leave without presenting a gift to the host."

Jack felt his shirt in attempt to give Darzit a last minute gift. When he found none, he shrugged his shoulders and smiled toothily at him.

"Whoops. It seems that I haven't got it on me. I'll send it to you right away," Jack then muttered to Luxora and Francois. "Let's go."

The trio took several steps further when they were stopped once again by Darzit's voice.

"Your accomplices may not leave with you."

Several of Darzits guards advanced on them with their swords raised. After a glance at his opponents Jack grinned smugly at them and grabbed for his pistol at his waist. Sadly, he had left his pistol and sword back in his room. Neither Luxora or François had any weapons on them either.

Once the realization sunk in Jack cried, "Gibbs!"

He took off running into a hallway calling for Mr. Gibbs.

"Time to go Gibbs! Where are you?" Jack's voice echoed in the hallway.

Luxora and François made haste and rushed after Jack, aware that they could not take on the guards. Darzit yelled out orders to his guards and they went after the party.

Jack continued to call for Mr. Gibbs, until he finally ran into him. Mr. Gibbs was carrying a bucket of waste out toward the decomposing pile when Jack bumped him, sending the waste onto Mr. Gibbs's shirt. He groaned in defeat.

"Jack, look what you just did! What is the meaning—"

"No time, my friend. Let's get the crew rounded up and get out of here."

Mr. Gibbs obeyed Jack without question. He went off to promote the rebellion to the other crew members while Jack made his way to the construction site.

Two guards apprehended him with their swords drawn. Jack suddenly gasped and pointed off to the left.

"What's that over there?"

Both guards turned to where he was pointing and Jack darted past them to run up onto the scaffolding. The scaffolding was almost as tall as the wall surrounding the palace compound. Jack scurried up a wooden ladder and pulled it up with him. The two guards scowled at him. One of them stabbed his sword up into the beam that made up the floor that Jack stood on. He started shaking the beam, making Jack start to lose his balance.

"Aye, mate! Stop that."

Jack used the ladder and jabbed the man in the face. Immediately the shaking stopped and the guard fell off of the scaffolding. With ease Jack knocked out the other guard. Then he took the saber that was stuck in the beam underneath as his own. Jack continued up the scaffolding until he was closest to the wall of the compound.

The ladder easily made the wall from the scaffolding. Jack hurried up the rungs and made it to the wall.

Before he jumped down, he grunted, "I'm coming for you."


	7. No Hope

**I Do Not Own Any Pirates of the Caribbean Movies  
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><p>Many of crew managed to acquire swords to defend with from unlucky guards. The once peaceful Moroccan night was now a war zone of pirates against guards. François took out his enemies with the air of a proper Frenchman who was nimble and quick. Luxora guarded his back side with less grace than him.<p>

As François's sword clashed with a saber, he yelled to Luxora, "How many have you taken out?"

"Four," she rasped out as she incapacitated her latest opponent. "You?"

"Six," he replied with a hint of arrogance in his voice. "You're almost as good as me."

The ferocity of the rebellion within the Sheik's palace was made clear to the Sheik from his high perch of his balcony. Overlooking the carnage, he knew exactly what the outcome was going to be. But it wasn't about the loss of labor hands that got his blood boiling. It was the one elusive person he'd come to despise as easily as enjoyed.

Before the party could escape, Darzit gave orders to his personal guard. Even if he couldn't get Jack just yet, he would even out the odds.

There was a loud boom before the wall of the palace exploded. Several pirates and guards who were close to the blast flew and crashed into objects. Past the destroyed buildings that were in the cannon ball's bath, there was a sight of a ship waiting along the shore of the water. Everyone recognized immediately who's ship it was. At the sight, surviving crew members cheered and made a break for the opening in the wall. François and Luxora followed the retreating pirates toward the opening.

In one last attempt to kill one more person, a guard stepped in her path. Luxora battled him with a renewed energy, knowing it would be over soon. After the guard fell to the ground, Luxora saw that François had gained several feet closer to the opening. She had to sprint to catch up with him.

To her horror, there was a man sneaking up at a silent, but quick pace behind François, threatening to surpass him in several moments. Luxora used all her strength and tackled the man, sending them both to the ground, her sword landing away from her. François heard Luxora cry out as the man stood back up with his dagger. François used his sword to impale the man as he was about to make a slice towards him. Dropping the sword he held, François scooped up Luxora and carried her off towards the _Pearl_.

~OOO~

Every crew member was merry as they jumped in rowboats that were tied to docks. They were free of their servitude, and sang as they climbed up the ladder onto the deck of the _Pearl_. François sat Luxora down beside him in a rowboat as some of the crew members paddled towards the ship.

Luxora's face was contorted in pain as she sat nestled in François's arms. He leaned his forehead against hers, taking in deep breaths of relief they were alright for the time being.

"Don't scare me like that again," he murmured.

As he adjusted his arms, he felt something sticky on Luxora's stiff hand wrapped firmly around her side. With Luxora shivering from the cool night, he realized that it was blood. Once they got on the deck, Luxora collapsed. The merry pirates and the toothy grin of Jack's disappeared. It was replaced by melancholy silence.

In the light of the lamps, François's front was saturated in red from holding Luxora. Luxora's blood began dripping onto the wooden deck. Mr. Gibbs hurriedly took her to get her side bandaged up with François following close behind. Jack stood in a stupor before he yelled for everyone to set sail back for the Caribbean and followed Mr. Gibbs. Francois and Mr. Gibbs had grave looks on their faces as Luxora continued to bleed.

Mr. Gibbs cleaned up the blood and applied a bandaged to stifle the flow. No one spoke, but all knew what was to come. Jack sat in a corner of the cabin, chewing on a finger nail while staring off into space. François stood leaning against the wall deep in thought. When Mr. Gibbs pulled down the makeshift curtain, Luxora had a clean shirt on.

To fill in the uncomfortable silence, Mr. Gibbs said without much enthusiasm, "There, good as new."

"Luxora," Jack started. "My quarters are atrocious. That barbarian completely messed up my space. I can't sleep in a room that isn't my own. Until I get my things back the way it was, you can stay in my quarters."

She croaked, "Thank you, Jack."

François accompanied her back to the Captain's quarters, leaving Mr. Gibbs and Jack alone.

"That girl's done for," Mr. Gibbs stated the obvious.

Jack acknowledged this statement with a nod. "It will be a matter of time."

"Does the boy understand?"

"Very much so."

~OOO~

François tucked Luxora into the nice big bed. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he stroked her hair gently. Luxora's eyes drooped with sleepiness as she gazed up at her fiancée. She managed to smile at him, which he returned. Already, François saw how her face was paler than before. He tried to ignore it.

"You're shirt is bloodied up."

"I'll change it later," François responded with a whisper. "You're going to get better."

Luxora just smiled at him in a mournful way. She grasped his hand and placed a kiss on it.

"Could you lay down with me?"

François nodded, and before getting in bed, he took off his dirtied shirt. He reached an arm over to hold Luxora's hand and propped his head up with his other arm. With his legs on top of the sheets, he molded his body into the shape Luxora's had. Luxora easily drifted to sleep, with François following later with a heavy heart.


End file.
